GHQ T6 switcher conversion

[sirenwerks]

Does anyone know if the GHQ T6 switcher conversion, made for a Rivarossi S2 mechanism and chassis, will work on the Bachmann S4 inards? Anyone else completed this conversion and have any comments on the castings?

[chessie system fan]

The answer is no.  It was designed as a shell swap with the arnold S2 shell, which is a solid block of metal with a small cavity for the motor.  Not the greatest but the only option until recently.

[peteski]

So is it Rivarossi or Arnold? 
I have Arnold S2 loco where the mounting tabs on the shell are broken (rest of it is ok).  I could be talked out of it for short money (let's say $20 postpaid).

[sirenwerks]

So is it Rivarossi or Arnold? 
I have Arnold S2 loco where the mounting tabs on the shell are broken (rest of it is ok).  I could be talked out of it for short money (let's say $20 postpaid).

Does it run decently? Anyone done a DCC conversion on one?

[u18b]

So is it Rivarossi or Arnold? 
I have Arnold S2 loco where the mounting tabs on the shell are broken (rest of it is ok).  I could be talked out of it for short money (let's say $20 postpaid).

Rivarossi bought the Arnold S-2.  Maybe even the whole company before Hornby bought it.

So the old Arnold S-2 and the Rivarossi S-2 (newer) are the same loco.

http://www.spookshow.net/loco/s2.html

[peteski]

Bryan,
Hopefully someone else can clarify as to which is the correct model for the GHQ conversion and about the Rivarossi/Arnold connection.

The S2 loco I have is made by Arnold. It has a very unusual construction where it is mostly diecast metal. The Shell is a solid slab ow white metal with just enough open space to house the mechanism.  The cab is a plastic casting. Very DCC-unfriendly, yet AFAIK, this was the first N scale loco which was offered with a factory-installed (Lenz?) DCC decoder. The decoder was a custom manufactured circuit board.

As far as running performance goes, it a a very old-school design:  Wheel-back wipers and the worms are made out of springs. Typical Arnold 3-pole straight-wound motor from the '70s and '80s. While it can be made to run fairly well, it will never be a Kato.

As far as Rivarossi goes, the only switcher I recall from them was the SW-1500 cow/calf oddball which was sold by Con-Cor. I don't ever recall any switches from Arnold being sold by Rivarossi or vice versa.

EDIT: Ron clarified the connection - I didn't recall that.  Thanks.  So it is the loco I have as described above.  I also forgot about the cracked gears - I need ot check mine. 

[Missaberoad]

Portland Terminal? or NPTco? 

Edit: wow these were built late (1968) so Portland terminal it is...

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3208549

 

[u18b]

Does it run decently? Anyone done a DCC conversion on one?

It can be done but is a bit tricky. 
The Arnold S-2 has the distinction of being the very first N scale loco that could be purchased stock with a decoder.  I snagged a Digital S-2 a few years ago for about 20 bucks.

The DCC version is identical to the analog with one exception- the circuit board is different.

So if you install a decoder in the cab of the analog version (LOTS of room for a TCS Z-2 or a Digitrax DZ126) then you would need to cut the traces to the motor and then find a way to run new traces or wires to the motor for the orange and gray DCC wires- all without fouling the wipers on the trucks.

I seem to remember an N-Scale Mag article 20 years ago about this.   The guy ised a motor tool to cut channels in the board and then embed a nicklel silver guitar string.

Not easy.

[u18b]

The answer is no.  It was designed as a shell swap with the arnold S2 shell, which is a solid block of metal with a small cavity for the motor.  Not the greatest but the only option until recently.

As Aaron said.... this was not the greatest when made.    But it was the best option at the time.

I kitbashed the master, and then GHQ bought it from me.  One of my few products that made it to commercial distribution.


But if:
1.  you REALLY want a T-6
2.  and you can kitbash

Then the newer starting points (Bachmann and Atlas S-4) would be WAY way better than the old Arnold mechanism.

[drgw0579]

I had a dream one night that I  machined out the inside of the shell  of my GHQ T-6 so it would fit on the Atlas chassis
Bill Kepner

[sirenwerks]

I had a dream one night that I  machined out the inside of the shell  of my GHQ T-6 so it would fit on the Atlas chassis
Bill Kepner

If you turn dream into reality, and it works, will you do two please? I'll pay you in advance.

[nkalanaga]

My S2 actually ran pretty good, especially after I put NWSL wheels under it.  My gears weren't cracked, yet, but I wanted the smaller flanges, and the new wheels also seemed to make better contact.

The springs for worms are just weird.  That isn't even "old-school", and I don't now of any other American-prototype N scale model like it.  But they worked.

The main reason I had to retire mine was my track.  There is almost no fore-aft rocking to the trucks, and it didn't like vertical curves (grade changes).  Since mine was working industrial track with some excessive grades, and short transitions, it simply wouldn't stay on the track.  The top of one of the grades also had a turnout, and when it tried to take the curved side, the front axle flanges were in midair, not on the rails...  If you have normal trackwork, it should be a nice locomotive.

I went back to my late 60s Minitrix FM, which doesn't mind my track at all.  If I ever get it painted, I have an Atlas S2 for the job, and yes, I tested it.  It aalso works, because the trucks can rock.

[sirenwerks]

As Aaron said.... this was not the greatest when made.    But it was the best option at the time.

I kitbashed the master, and then GHQ bought it from me.  One of my few products that made it to commercial distribution.


But if:
1.  you REALLY want a T-6
2.  and you can kitbash

Then the newer starting points (Bachmann and Atlas S-4) would be WAY way better than the old Arnold mechanism.

So what are the components of a kitbash?

[u18b]

Here is how I made mine years ago for the Arnold S-2.   This is NOT exactly how you would make it today since there may be better starting points.

The thing that makes a T-6 look like a T-6 and not an S switcher is the nose.   It has the typical ALCO notched nose.

So my starting point was the Atlas ALCO RS11 shell (yellow).
This provided the roof and nose.   I sanded ALL details off except the notch on the nose.

But you can't just cut an RS11 down because since the hood is shorter on the T-6, the doors will be cut off.  So we have to start over with the doors.  While not exactly prototypically correct, I used the walls from an Atlas RS1 shell  (gray).

The tricky part is cutting out the door section first, and then cutting out the area of the RS11 shell to perfectly accommodate the new wall.





Once the shell walls were glued in, I added details back.  Needed a new round fan up top.  I had to kitbash a grill from another RS1 shell.  I shortened the grill.  And I added a stack and hatches on roof.




All these glued together gave me the T-6 shell.




Which I then placed on an S-2 mechanism.. and then changed out the sideframes.




Now, if I was starting TODAY, the ALCO S4 switcher is a great starting point because the trucks and doors should be about correct.  All it needs is the RS11 nose.

So I'm not sure how I would do it today without having all the parts in front of me.
But maybe this will get your idea flowing.

Here are my finished products.

I sent my kitbashed master to GHQ to get a quote on how much it would cost me to get castings.   The head guy said.... Hey, we'd like to pay YOU to give us this master so we can make castings and sell them.  And we'll throw in a couple for free.

Hmmmmm.  I was going to pay you to make them...... and now you're going to pay ME to make them.   

I said-- no brainer--- it's yours!     

So here is the original casting of my master.   I think Bryan Bussey has this one now.








And here is the other.  I sold it on ebay I think.






Then the GHQ guy called me and said.... we'd like your permission to modify your master to more conform to N&W look.
I said--- Hey it's yours.  Feel free to do what you want with it.

He did... and did an EXCELLENT job.

So then I got some more casting samples in the mail.

[pdx1955]

I was curious, so I looked at my S4, and yes, everything from the doors back looks to be a reasonable match. The RS11 shell would provide the fan and the nose, and the discarded section of the S4 would provide the grill once you shortened it. It's hard to see in the pictures, but S4 appears to be close on the roof hatch details too, other than the stack would need to replaced and moved. As far as locomotive kitbashes go, this one appears to be pretty straightforward.